Trade
by Marcelle Hvidsteen
Summary: She hated nights. At night her fathers minions where all over. Before one gives her an offer she can't refuse.
1. Chapter 1

She hated nights.

At nights her father's minions were everywhere. Threatening to kill everyone and everything she held dear. Just because she had banished her father from earth, didn't mean she was safe from his grasp. He was always there. Lurking. Luring. Slowly killing her.

"You must."

Raven was standing on the edge. It was past midnight, but no moon. She was standing in her nightgown, the wind slowly tugging at it. Tugging her over the edge.

"I don't want to. My friends."

"Your friends don't exist."

"No."

Her voice was weak. His voice was strong. Her head was hurting. She couldn't breath. She was swaying back and forth.

"Your all alone princess."

His nickname for her. Princess of Darkness.

"Go away. Robin said…"

"Robin who?"

"Robin. Robin. And Starfire, and Cyborg and Beast Bo…"

"Don't exist princess."

A gust of wind and she almost fell over. She could barley place her foot forward. Her eyes were closed, as they always were.

"Friends."

"How can you have friends? You, Princess of Darkness. The reincarnation of evil. The daughter of Trigon. Fall princess. Fall and accept your destiny. Your fate. Remember the prophesy."

"Prophesy."

"You're supposed to be dead."

It was night, and in their beds the titans were having nightmares.

Robin was dreaming of the day he saw his parents fall to their death. Starfire was dreaming of her sister Blackfire. Cyborg was dreaming of the accident that demolished half of his human body. On the roof Raven was balancing on the edge. One of her fathers minions trying to get her to fall to her death. Only one titan wasn't having a nightmare in his sleep. He was living one.

"Raven."

Raven could feel someone pull her backwards, shaking her and slapping her. Screaming her name. She opened her eyes and looked annoyed at the green boy who had woken her.

"Beast Boy what are you doing?"

"What am I doing? What are you doing? What were you doing on the ledge?"

He was screaming, and this made Raven angrier.

"What ledge? What are you doing in my room?"

He looked shocked at her, before opening his arms. Raven looked around, and was stunned to find herself on the roof.

"What am I doing on the roof?"

"The hell I know. I hear someone talking, and when I come up to see who it is I see you standing on the edge, ready to play tag with the ground."

Raven looked from his face to the edge were she had been standing seconds earlier. She looked back at him. He was out of breath, and she could still she terror in his eyes.

"Your scared."

"You almost fell of the roof Rae."

"And that scares you?"

He was sitting on his knees, just looking at her. He had been holding her shoulders all this time, but now he let go of them. He was stunned.

"Of course it does. It scares the daylight out of me. You're my friend Rae."

He couldn't have said anything more right at that moment. Thou she didn't remember what had happened, Raven knew that something bad had happened, and that scared her.

She grabbed the man in front of her, and pulled him close. She dug her face in his shoulder and just wanted to feel safe. He always made her feel safe. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight.

"Raven, what happened?"

"I don't know Beast Boy. I don't know."

Finally he managed to calm her down, and the two got to their feet. With his arm protective around her he led her down to the hall, and to her bedroom. He turned to walk away, but she stops him.

"What?"

She opened her mouth to ask him to stay, but couldn't. The words dried up in her throat. She prayed to Azar that he would understand. She pleaded with her eyes for him to understand without her saying it.

"I'll stay a while. Until you fall asleep. Make sure what ever did it to you doesn't happen again."

A tiny smile formed her lips. She turned and slipped under her covers. Lying on her stomach she turned her head towards him, sitting on a chair next to the bed. She moved to the edge of her bed, giving room for another body.

"Are you sure?"

She just looked at him. No nod. No smile. No yes. Just her pleading eyes begging him to understand. He moved over to her bed, over the covers. He smiled down to the girl.

"Close your eyes, it's way past your bed time."

She showed out her tongue at him, but did close her eyes. Her breathing soon became regular and calm.

"Thank you."

Beast Boy smiled down at her again. She was sleeping before he can answer, but neither of them cared. He thought she actually prefers it that way. She still wasn't used to asking favours, and didn't like that people push it when she did. After the many years they had shared as teammates and friends, Beast Boy had learned to respect that and just take joy in helping her when she needed it.

As he was halfway sitting, halfway lying next to her sleeping body, two sensations ran through his body.

One was the feeling of lust, that most eighteen straight boys feel when in bed with a nineteen-year-old female they find attractive. The other one was the feeling only she brought out in him. Being totally relaxed. He didn't feel the need to put on an act with her. She knew him inside out, and he felt he liked it. At least he it didn't bother him as much as he thought it would.

He looked down at her face. He knew her fetchers by heart. He didn't know when he had fallen in love with her. To be honest he didn't even know if it had started before he had met Terra, or after, if Terra had been a distraction or the warm up band.

Raven stirred, and Beast Boy forgot his former love interest, and concentrated on his current one. She was breathing irregular, and he could tell she was scared.

"Rae."

"Friends."

"Raven."

Suddenly she opened her eyes and mouth in a silent scream. Gasping for air, tears were running down her cheeks. What ever had happened had scared her. He placed his arms around her, and started to stroke her back.

"Robin."

In the depths of his heart, Beast Boy felt a sting of jealousy, but only in his eyes, which she couldn't see, was that detectable. She was too upset to feel them empathically, amongst all the other feelings he was feeling. He continued to stroke her back and whisper calming word in her ear. She had grabbed the front of his uniform and was holding it very tight.

"It's all right. I'm here. You're safe Rae. I'm here."

"Don't leave me."

Beast Boy was taken a bit back by the plea. She really must have been scared.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Soon the girl had fallen a sleep again, and thou her grip on his uniform had loosened a bit, he didn't remove his arms. Soon he had fall asleep as well.

When Raven woke up, the first thing she noticed was that she was using an arm as a pillow. She thought this was odd, since she usually never slept on her arm. She moved each of her hand to find out which arm, and opened her eyes in shock to find it was neither.

Purple. Then black. Raven moved her eyes upwards, but she already knew who had his arms around her. Green. Raven didn't know why, but a tiny smile crept over her lips before dying down again.

Carefully so not to wake him, she slithered out of bed.

A few years back, both Raven and Starfire had argued that it was impossible and improper for all five of them to still share one bathroom. And after a tampon box had been forgotten on the sink, all three boys had suddenly agreed with the girls. Therefore both girls now each had a small, private, bathroom connected with their room.

She took a short shower, dried and dressed herself in her usual uniform. She went back to her room, and bent over the still sleeping man. It was only half past seven, so she knew he would be sleeping a few more hours.

"Beast Boy."

The man stirred, and he opened his eyes to a bare squinting.

"I'm getting up now, but you can just keep on sleeping, okay?"

"Okay."

He yawned and closed his eyes again. Raven looked at the man until she was sure he was sleeping.

"Thank you."

Then she bent down and kissed him on his cheek, before leaving the room. A smile formed on the still sleeping man's lips.

Raven walked into the common room, and not to her surprise was Robin sitting there with his coffee and newspaper. But to her surprise did he look terrible. Bags under his eyes, a drawn look on his face and he couldn't stop yawning.

"You want to talk?"

"Nightmare."

"Parents?"

He just nodded. She grabbed his hand. That was all that was needed. No words, since she knew he had heard them all before. No hug, since that was not her place. Just that simple act of kindness. Sometime, that is all that is needed.

The door opened and a yawning Starfire flew through it. She rubbed her eyes as she sat down next to Robin, and Raven let go of his hand. Starfire smiled towards the two, but there was not her usual smile. It looked like a smile normal people would smile when they where happy. It was not as happy as her usual smile.

"I have had the night of mares."

"About what?"

Raven stood up to get her tea as the couple continued to talk.

"My sister. She came and attacked me and told me I was a traitor for leaving home. Even thou she was the one to send me away in the first place."

Starfire started to cry, and Robin quickly laid an arm around his girlfriend. Raven turned now with two cups and placed the one containing coffee in front of Starfire. Even thou she never ate or drank anything like earth people, coffee were a drink she liked black and stronger than Robin, Cyborg and Beast Boy put together.

Half an hour later Cyborg walked in and he too bore signs of last night. He sat down with a grunt and didn't make eye contact with anyone.

Four hour later and everyone but Raven had left the common room. Robin was working out. Starfire had gone to the mall of shopping, as she called it, and Cyborg was in the garage and working on his baby. Raven was sitting by the window, meditating, trying to suppress the feelings last night had brought out in her when the door opened and a smiling and yawning Beast Boy came in.

"Good morning Rae."

Raven looked at him with only one eye open.

"It's afternoon Beast Boy."

"Well, a good afternoon to you my princess."

He bowed, and thou he was just joking, were Raven shocked to hear those words come from him. She touched down and walked quickly and angry towards him, stopping inches from him.

"Don't call me that."

"But…"

"I mean it Beast Boy, don't you ever call me that again."

She was shaking. She didn't know why, but that word was bad. She could barely control her emotions.

"Okay I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

Raven just gave him a short smile, before walking past him. Only thought was to stop the tears that were for some reason running down her face.

--

"Princess."

"Leave me alone."

Raven looked around in darkness that was almost consuming her. She knew that he was there somewhere.

"Princess."

"What do you want?"

She turned around trying to locate where the voice was coming from. Suddenly he was standing right in front of her. She hated him. She truly despised him. Just to annoy her even more had he taken form of Malchior, or the form Malchior had fooled her to believe was his.

"You."

"What?"

"You are the daughter of Trigon. I want you for my bride."

She laughed. That was ridicules. That was the last thing she would ever do.

"And why would I ever do that?"

"What if I said that you are the reason your friends cry in their sleep?"

She was done laughing. She covered his body in dark material and raised him in the air.

"You are a demon, one of my fathers minions. Why should I trust you?"

"I might be one of your fathers minion, but do you think I want to be that for ever. With you by my side I could finally get the respect I deserve."

"You deserve no respect."

She let him go and turned her back to him, but he was there in front of her again.

"What if I told you that you are the reason your friends cry in their sleep?"

"And again why should I trust you?"

She turned again.

"Because Azar changed the prophecy."

Raven froze. Slowly she turned.

"What?"

"She changed the prophecy my princess. Like the human fairy tale of 'Sleeping Beauty'. Originally she should have died, but the fairy godmother just made her sleep for a hundred years instead."

Raven couldn't make this fit. Azar changed the prophecy, why hadn't she told her. Was that the reason she and her friends had managed to vanquish him? She looked at him, hating that he had her interest.

"Explain."

He smiled a smug smile that made her want to hurt him again.

"The orphaned bird. The man of metal. The rivalry sister. The African beast."

Involuntary went her hand to her mouth and her eyes widened. She could tell he loved the response.

"You see princess. You are the reason your friends cry at night. The reason Robin will never trust or love anyone. The reason Cyborg will never feel like a man again. The reason Starfire is exiled from her home planet. The reason Beast Boy is exactly that. A beast. Their skeletons are your doing."

"But if that saved their lives…"

"Don't be a fool princess. Azar could always have killed you. That would too have changed the prophecy. But she went soft. To bad when that happens isn't it."

Raven hated the tears that ran down her cheeks. She had a small glimmer of doubt, but not much. She knew he was right.

"What have I done?"

"Nothing princess, but we can change that."

She looked at him. She hated him, but she hated what had happened even more.

"What must I do?"

He grinned. How she hated him.


	2. Chapter 2

"Garfield Mark Logan you better not be sleeping. It won't be pretty if I have to come up there. I mean it. I'll ask your dad to give you a shot and then you'll be all green. Garfield, are you listening to me?"

Garfield feel out of the top bunk as his mother suddenly stood next to him and yelled.

"I'm up. I'm up."

His mother just rolled her eyes and turned as she had done her job.

"Besides Terra is waiting for you."

This news made Garfield jump up on two. He was eighteen, and still slept in a bunk bed. He knew it was juvenile, but had always felt more comfortable when he slept of the ground. He walked to the window and pulled away the shades.

The sun hit his body and started to warm it as his blue eyes swept over the African landscape growing from the bottom of his out and out into infinity. He pulled his finger through his short blond hair and sighed.

He had dreamed of her again. He turned and looked at the doziness of animal pictures covering his wall and ceiling. Thou he had many different species; there was still one that he had more of than anything else. Ravens.

"Who are you?"

Then he remembered that his girlfriend was waiting downstairs and ran over to his closet to find something to wear.

--

"Hi Richard."

"Wow Richard I saw you last night and you where wonderful."

"You really were."

Richard nodded to the girls from his class before he started his motorcycle and drove back to the circus.

Richard Grey knew he was handsome. He was fit, semi long unruly black hair, the mystery of always wearing sunglasses, and of course the motorcycle. Girls always loved motorcycles. But he had never been with a woman all his life. The truth was, that no matter where the circus went, and what kind of girl fell to his feet, he never fell in love. At night he would look up at the stars, and feel the closest thing to love he thought he would ever feel.

Now that's not to say he didn't know how his fantasy woman looked like. He knew. Actually when he dreamed he dreamed of her. A tall woman, with slightly orange skin, red hair down to her waist, and big green eyes. But she wasn't only woman he dreamed of. He also dreamed of her. Not as someone he could ever date, but a friend. A very good friend.

Richard parked and walked into the ring. He looked up as he leaned on the banister and looked his parents. They where training their new routine, the raven, when his father jumped too short and fell down to the netting below.

"Oh my god. John."

"Dad."

His father smiled as he climbed out of the net and jumped down on the ground.

"It's okay Mary. I'm fine."

"Thank god."

Then his mother let go and fell down on the net. His father helped her out and she hugged him, before slapping him over the back of his head.

"Don't you ever do that to me again John. I mean it."

His father laughed before kissing her.

"Sorry Mary."

"What would I ever do without you?"

"That's why we train, isn't it Dick. So that won't be something you will have to worry about."

Richard smiled and nodded.

--

"No, I said a 10,3 inch cylinder. Not a 10,0. Try to get this right people."

"Yes Mr Stone."

Victor smiled to his chief mechanic. Victor Stone was one of the best car designer and mechanics in the west of America, despite his young age, and he was also one of the best bosses. He just needed things to be a certain way. And his mechanics knew that.

Victor turned and walked back into his office and sat down in his huge leather chair. The company he had been working for had asked him to join right out of high school and he had loved every minuet of it. His life was perfect…

Victor pulled out a drawer and pulled out a drawing. It was of a woman, tall, hourglass figure and something he had found out was called a charcra. She wasn't the woman of his dreams. She was just a woman he dreamed of, often.

"Mr Stone, your father is here."

"Send him in."

Victor sighed, put the drawing back, and stood up. He loved his father, he did. But since his mother had died all that had been on his fathers mind was his work. He worked on creating artificial organs out of computer chips and metal, and thou the idea of having chips in your body scared Victor, knew he that his fathers work would one day save lives.

"Victor."

"Dad."

Victor gave his father a hug, and just ignored that he didn't hug back. His father had never been able to communicate with his son. The only thing they had in common was their fascination for computers and metal work.

"How are you dad?"

"Fine. Do you have it?"

Victor sighed and went back to his desk, opened a draw and pulled out a small disk. Victor had found a way to make the metal even more thin and enduring, and of course had his father loved that he had done this. He gave his father the disk and for a long time, none of the Stone men talked.

"So, what are you working on now Victor?"

Victor walked to the window overlooking the work and showed his father.

"It's a new car."

"Interesting design, and what are you calling this one."

"Raven."

--

"Your majesty."

"Yes Galfore."

"The counsel is waiting."

Queen Koriand'r got to her feet and nodded weakly to her old K'norfka and her second in command.

Koriand'r was one of the most beautiful queens Tamaran had seen for many years. She was also the most ruthless and intelligent. She was young, but regardless had the entire counsel sworn elegancy to her, and followed her almost blindly.

She walked into the room, and every one of the counsel men rose, as they should. She sat down.

"Be seated."

First now did the men sit down on their chairs, all but one.

"P'nor."

"Your majesty. Is it not time to talk about a husband for you?"

"No."

"But your majesty."

Koriand'r rose. The man, thou he was twice as big as her suddenly turned a sickening shade of pale orange and sat down quickly.

"I will talk about taking a husband when it is suitable for me P'nor, not sooner. Is that understood?"

Not a word. No one dared look at him, and he was just shivering as he sat there. That subject had always been a touchy subject for her.

"I asked P'nor if that was understood?"

Still no one dared to say a word.

"Don't make me repeat myself."

"It's understood."

"Good."

Koriand'r sat down and turned to her second in command. None of the men in the room knew what was going on in her mind. Nor did any of them dare to ask. She had never told them of the people haunting her dreams. Especially the woman in the blue cloak and the dark haired man.

"So what do you want to call the plan your majesty?"

Koriand'r looked at Galfore, and no one would ever know that her mind had drifted for a second.

"Let's call it Raven."

"Raven your majesty?"

It had been P'nor who had talked without thinking again. The look Koriand'r sent him made the other council men actually rise up and leave the table. Just as they did this, did P'nor understand his mistake.

"You have something against that name P'nor?"

"No, of course not you majesty."

"Oh, but if you do please tell me. I'm always open for critique. You don't like that name, why?"

Now no one would claim P'nor was the smartest Tameranian in the universe. The only reason he was in the seat was because he had inherited it from his father, who had been one of the few persons Koriand'r had liked.

"Well, isn't it just a bit creepy. It's an earth bird isn't it?"

No answer. The body just said a weak dump as it hit the floor. Koriand'r looked around at her other councilmen.

"Any other objections?"

"No."

"Good."

Koriand'r gave the sword to one of her guards and left the room.

--

"When are you leaving?"

"Next week, you know that."

Garifeld looked down on his forwning girlfriend and smiled.

"I'm sorry, but I have been planning this of over a year."

"But why do you have to go?"

Terra was lying on her back and picking a straw to pieces. Garfield was half lying half sitting next to her. On his lips a smile that only came when he talked about the USA and his animals, and Terra hated it.

"It going to be fun. Besides this is the best school in the world. And I want to see where my parents come from. Don't you."

She just made a face and turned her back to him. Garfield sighed and lay down on the ground. The closer it came for him to leave, the more difficult she was. Why couldn't she see how important it was to him? Over him flew a raven. Garfield couldn't help but smile.

--

"Who's that?"

Richard never read the newspaper. He didn't want to be depressed by all the bad news. But something in the face covering half of the front page made him stop. He felt he had seen the face before, but he knew he hadn't. It was like he had dreamed it.

"Victor Stone, the car designer."

The clown looked over the edge of the paper at the man trying to read the front page.

"You want too…"

Richard pulled the paper out of his hands before he could finish. He flipped over to the page and read and reread the article. It wasn't much. Just saying that Victor Stone had won an award and would be in Gotham City next week to receive it. Richard didn't know why, but he was shaking.

--

"Your majesty are you sure this is so wise?"

Koriand'r looked at Galfore.

"You're questioning my judgement?"

"Of course not, but…"

Koriand'r turned towards him. Had it been anyone else would she have scolded him, but she trusted Galfore and actually cared for him. But she would never tell him that. He just knew.

"If we are taking over the earth need we to spy, and I want to see this planet. Until I'm back you will be in command. Is that understood general?"

She used his title to end the discussion. Galfore saluted her as she walked into the wassail and flew away.


	3. Chapter 3

A scream. Garfield sat up in the air seat, drenched in sweat, gasping for air. He had dreamed of her again. That girl. Raven. She had been the source of the scream. Garfield placed his head in his hands as a stewardess with long brown hair and blue eyes came over.

"Are you okay Mr Logan?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

The woman nodded weakly before she left him. Garfield leaned back against his seat and looked out of the window. Who was she? None he had ever seen. And why was she screaming? Was she hurt? Suddenly he saw her. She was lying on the ground or something, and he was slapping her and screaming her name. Her eyes fluttered and finally she looked him.

"Beast Boy what are you doing?"

"What am I doing? What are you doing? What were you doing on the ledge?"

He was screaming.

"What ledge? What are you doing in my room?"

He looked shocked at her, before opening his arms. The girl looked around herself.

"What am I doing on the roof?"

"The hell I know. I hear someone talking, and when I come up to see who it is I see you standing on the edge, ready to play tag with the ground."

Raven looked from his face to the edge and back. Garfield could still feel the terror in his body.

"Your scared."

"You almost fell of the roof Rae."

"And that scares you?"

He was sitting on his knees, just looking at her. He was stunned.

"Of course it does. It scares the daylight out of me. You're my friend Rae."

Garfield looked out of his window and the total darkness outside. He had never been afraid of the darkness, not even as a child. He had always known that just because something seemed scary and creepy didn't mean they actually would hurt you.

A new scream. Deep down something in Garfield tired to get out. To protect her. To stop her from screaming. He fidgeted in his seat as her scream pierced the air around him and almost made him cry.

"Raven."

The name was just a whisper. Who was she? Why did he hurt so just because she was? Why was she hurting so? He sighed and pulled his blanket up to his chin as a new scream made the air around him shake.

--

Koriand'r turned as the tears ran down her cheek. The scream still ringing in her ears. She hated that she suddenly couldn't stop crying.

"Leave me."

"Your majesty?"

"I said leave me."

When she finally was alone she sat down and let them fall freely. Her entire body was shaking. The scream, that girl, she had haunted her dreams as long as Koriand'r could remember. But she had never been so clear and so heartbreaking as now.

Suddenly an image came for her. She was standing outside something called a room for changing. A voice came from behind the closed doors came a voice. Raven.

"Starfire I don't need a new dress."

"Yes you do friend Raven. It is after all the celebration of the birth of Beast Boy. You do want to celebrate him don't you?"

"You know I do."

The doors opened and the woman came out dressed in a foot long, A-lined dress with a medieval cut and long arms. It was dark blue and purple and to her surprise had the girl a faint blush on her cheeks.

"Oh friend Raven, you look wonderful. Beast Boy will love it."

Her blush grew.

"Why friend Raven, you are doing the blushing?"

Suddenly she looked up with an almost desperate look in her eyes.

"No I'm not."

"Do you like friend Beast Boy friend Raven?"

Suddenly every pear in the store exploded and the entire shop was suddenly dark.

"You do like friend Beast Boy do you not?"

"Maybe, but you can't tell him Starfire."

They where standing by the windows, which gave a faint light that landed on her face.

"But friend Raven, why not?"

"Just promise me. You can't tell him."

"Okay friend Raven. I promise."

Koriand'r shook her head as the tears finally stopped falling. The screaming didn't stop, but Koriand'r knew how to work through it. She called in her men, as she got ready to talk about her new strategies. But the closer she got to her target, the more intense got the screaming.

--

"Dick you're not concentrating."

Richard was standing on the tiny platform and holding the line, but his mind was not on the act he was about to practice. The scream was still ringing in his ears, and it had been this who had broken his concentration.

He was standing by the sea, looking at three people laughing and playing in the water. One of them the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Starfire. He was suddenly struck by a big scare. He was suddenly afraid that he would loose her, like he had lost his parents.

"Robin."

He turned his head and smiled to the woman, more like girl, coming to him and stopping next to him. She too was looking at the three people.

"I know you're afraid."

"How?"

She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and suddenly he felt stupid. Not only was she empathic. They also had a special bond. He shook his head over his own stupidity, and she said nothing more to it.

"You don't have to be strong all the time Robin. Some times even a mountain needs someone to lean on. Being in love doesn't make you weak. In fact that makes you stronger, because you become more empathic and more human."

They shared a look again, and he smiled.

"So no one has any objections."

"I have none. And Beast Boy and Cyborg have a bet on when you will actually start dating her. And Starfire is… Well, she's Starfire."

"But I don't think I can loose any one else."

The girl smiled sadly and placed a hand on his arm. Robin liked this small token of kindness.

"If you let fear stop you from acting, you will never experience anything good. For everything that can give you joy can also give you pain."

Robin nodded.

"Richard."

Richard looked up as his father landed next to him.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine."

"Good. Now fly like the Robin Dick."

Richard nodded, but was still confused when a new cry pierced the air.

--

Victor stopped kissing the girl as another scream made him turn his head.

"Vic what is it?"

"Didn't you hear that Karen?"

"No. What am I supposed to hear?"

He hushed her as another scream made him look around in the dark night.

"Vic if you are just going to act like a jerk I'm leaving."

Karen put her hand on her hip and stared up at him, but Victor wasn't looking at her. In her place was grease stained girl, standing over him. She was smiling. Raven.

"I need a 4,5 inch wrench."

"Right away Cyborg."

The girl vanished, but was standing next to him just seconds later with a 4,5 inch wrench. He vanished under the car again. He tightened the bolt, before he pulled himself out and rose.

"Finished."

He pulled out the keys.

"So, want to take it out for a little spin?"

"Okay. Shall I get the others?"

"No. I think this is just between us. You know, mechanic to mechanic."

A tiny smile played on her lips.

"Are you sure? Beast Boy will be awful disappointed."

"Of course. You helped me build my baby, so you get to come with me for our first ride. Besides, Beast Boy lost my video game and needs to be punished."

Her smiled widened. They sat down in the car.

"Do you have it?"

She smiled again and pulled out the disk. He grinned as she placed it in and when he turned the car key the car purred.

"The thing that makes it special isn't the parts, but the time you spent making it."

"Victor, are you listening to me?"

"I'm feeling a bit poorly Karen. I think I just have to go home. I'll make it up to you later."

"You better."

Then she smiled and gave him a last kiss good bye. As she got in to a cab a new scream was heard.

--

"Turn over here Mr Stone."

"Mr Stone, just one more picture."

"Mr Stone."

Victor turned and gave the smiles the photographers where begging for. On his arm Karen, who even he had never seen so wonderful. She was wearing a yellow and black that surprisingly was complimenting her dark skin and eyes.

--

"I don't know Gary. It's my first Friday here."

"Hey, I have an extra ticket. I just wanted you to have some fun. And besides you will never get an opportunity like this ever again. Come on. It'll be fun. I promise."

"Fine I'll go to this award show with you."

Garfield sighed as Gary smiled. Gary was handsome, and Garfield knew his new roommate was the Don Juan of the school. Garfield liked him, but he did feel a sting a jealousy when he had seen the girls going go-go eyes over him. Then he had to remind himself that he actually had a girlfriend back home in Africa. Garfield sighed before turning back to his studied.

--

"But your majesty."

"No buts. You will leave and wait until I give the orders."

The soldier just shook his head as she walked out of the ship and she looked as it took flight. Even Koriand'r was surprised by her order, but she didn't want to have anyone around. She felt something was coming. She suddenly regretted starting this invasion.

--

How could he have known that the tickets would be so expensive? Richard walked down the alley and looked for an open window or something. There. He smiled as he jumped on the trashcan, from the trashcan flung himself on the fire escape and from the fire escape jumped in through the open window. He fell to the floor, but it was thankfully in a corner and not crowded. Actually there was only one man standing there. Looking at him.

"Wouldn't the back door be easier?"

"Guard."

Richard rose and brushed himself of.

"Pleas don't tell anyone I snuck in."

"As I see it, as long as you come in you are entitled to stay. But next time you should see if anyone is below the window before you jump down."

"Yes sir."

Richard didn't know why he suddenly felt like he had disappointed this man, but he did. And that bothered him.

"But you're good. Most people would have knocked themselves silly after a fall like that."

"I've trained."

The man said nothing. Richard didn't know why this man, made him feel so small and yet so big at the same time.

"So, I'll see you later."

"Maybe."

Then Richard walked away, but he couldn't help sending the man glances over his shoulder, and he knew the man was looking after him as well.

--

Koriand't had no problem getting inside. It seemed the male species was the same on Earth as in Tamaran. The only problem was that she didn't understand why she wanted to get inside. It was an award show of some sort, for a man named Victor Stone. She thought it had to have something to do with that name. As quickly as she had seen that she had known she had to get in. She just didn't know why.


	4. Chapter 4

Garfield was standing next to the buffet. Gary had caught the girl's eyes immediately and now he had run of with one of them and left him all alone, and to top it of had the banquet people no vegetarian food on the list. It was all meat. Garfield felt a shudder run down his spine at the thought of all the poor animals that had to die to be eaten. He put down his plate, turned around and froze.

--

Koriand'r didn't know which of the three men she had seen first. It was strange and not logical. She had stood before hundreds of Tamaranian soldier ready to fight thousands of enemy soldiers and she hadn't even blinked.

But when her eyes landed on the three men her entire body was shaking. Especially when she saw the black hair boy with the sunglasses. For a moment her heart stopped beating.

--

Richard suddenly felt a rush of adrenalin pore through his body only matched with when he was flying through the air. He looked at the black man, Victor Stone, and felt a rush of respect. His eyes fell on the blond boy and suddenly trust and fellowship filled him. And then his eyes landed on the red headed woman. Love he didn't even know he could feel grasped his heart and made him gasp for air.

Then he suddenly felt fears cold grasp cling to him like a wet towel. One was missing. She was missing.

--

"Raven."

Victor didn't know why he suddenly thought about her. He thought it had to do with the other three looking at him. He suddenly felt a peace he hadn't felt with the exception of his deepest dreams. But something was wrong. She should have been there. She should have…

--

Garfield didn't know why, but when the man had uttered the name Raven he suddenly felt empty. For a second, just second, he had forgotten that she was gone. That the woman standing a few feet away wasn't here. He had forgotten her. He had forgotten her. He had…

--

The room started to shake, and on impulse Richard ran over to the woman and grabbed around her. Trying to protect her.

"What are you doing?"

"Get down."

--

The light fell down and Garfield threw himself down on the floor to not get hit. A picture suddenly fell to his mind of a green elephant. He didn't know why. Why would he think of green elephants when the room was falling apart? It didn't make sense.

--

Koriand'r looked up at the boy holding her down. If it had been anyone else she would have killed him with her bare hands, but he was different. She liked him holding her. Protecting her. She sudden felt an urge to take of his sunglasses. It was so illogical. The room was falling apart, and all she could do was take her hands up and take of his sunglasses. His eyes where beautiful, big and the colour of…

--

"I'm sorry to interrupt you guys but we better get out of here."

Victor looked down at the two lying on the floor. Some people had the worst timing. Just like last time.

"Come on."

Finally they got up and he led the four of them out of the room and into a smaller room, looking like a library or the old kind of smoking room.

--

"So I guess you all have that dream about her."

"Raven."

"Yes."

"Do any of you know here?"

"I don't."

"Never seen her in my life."

"But I have visions."

"We all have, don't we?"

"In one of mine she tells me that she is in love with a man called Beast Boy."

"She calls me Beast Boy in one mine. Does that means she is in love with me?"

--

Garfield suddenly couldn't stop smiling. The woman was sitting not far from him, looking up at him with a queer look. Garfield didn't know why the thought of Raven having a crush on him would make him so happy. He had a girlfriend. Terra. Raven. Garfield sat down and couldn't get the goofy smile of his face. She loved him. She was in love with him.

--

A scream. A scream that sent shivers down his spine.

"Raven."

The blond boy uttered her name, as a picture was visible for all of them. In the centre of them a woman, partly see through, was standing both confused and in pain. Looking from one part to another.

"No."

Tears were running down her face, and Victor thought this odd. He hadn't seen her cry since, since. Had he ever seen her cry?

--

She was crying. Before he could think Garfield put out his hand to dry them. He didn't want her to cry. As quickly as his skin touched hers something odd happened. The hand that was touching her turned green, before weird memories came and forced him to his knees.

Pictures of him with green skin, claw like hands and feet. Fangs and pointed ears. Pictures of his parents dying and other people that he cared deeply for suffering the same fate. Terra, betraying them, fighting him, sacrificing herself to save them. And something primal. A beast, lurking deep inside him, threatening to take control over his body at any given moment.

Garfield looked up at the girl, not understanding.

"Do you see why I had to do it?"

--

She turned her face from the blond boy and her violet eyes set on his brown.

"Hello Cyborg."

She opened her mouth to say something more when she flinched in pain, and Victor grabbed her arm. He too without thinking and he also with consequences. His hand turned into metal, and his head was suddenly filled with images about him as a half robot something creature. The pain, the humiliation, the fear of not being human again brought tears to his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

--

Her gaze landed on him, and Richard suddenly got scared of her. Of what she could show him.

--

Koriand'r suddenly felt weird. She was curious of what this girl could show her.

"May I?"

Raven just looked at her as she grabbed her hand. Suddenly another woman was standing next to her. Blackfire. Koriand'r suddenly felt fear for this woman. Her sister. Koriand'r hated being afraid. She grabbed a chandelier from the table and threw it at the woman, but it just went straight through her. Koriand'r took a step back.

"Starfire."

Koriand'r looked oddly at her. How could she know?

--

To say Richard was terrified was an understatement. He turned and tried to run out of the room, but when he came to the door he stopped. She didn't try to stop him. She didn't say his name, or scold him for leaving them. She had brought them all together, and now she was just letting him walk out the door. Why? He turned and looked at her.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

He was surprised about how calm she looked. Like she had seen so much pain and suffering some more couldn't hurt.

"Why did you gather us here?"

"I didn't Robin. You brought me here."

--

"But who are you?"

Garfield couldn't forget the image of his parents dying, or the pain of seeing people he obviously cared for die or leave him. Or the insecurity he had felt about having green skin and being able to morph into animals, thou that thought also thrilled him a bit. He knew it had something to do with the woman standing in front of him. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen. The woman that had haunted his mind and dreams all his life.

"I was your friend. In another life, we five were different. Haunted. Heroes. Titans"

"And how come we are like this and you are…"

--

Victor didn't know what she was actually so his voice just died of.

"That was the deal. My life, for the life you where supposed to have."

He didn't understand. The explosion. The things his father had implanted in him. That had been real? He looked at the woman in front of him. She had been real too?

--

"So the dreams, they are memories then?"

Raven looked confused at her. Koriand'r was still shook up about the image, but she needed information.

"What dreams?"

"You don't know? I, we all have, dreamed of you our entire life."

"You have. You remembered me?"

--

Raven looked from one person to the other before landing on him. It suddenly struck him how deep her eyes where. He wondered what was behind the sadness and the calmness so much larger than anyone he had ever seen.

"Yes."

Her hand went to her mouth in shock and sudden understanding. Then she smiled as tears where running down her cheeks. It was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

--

She looked at him.

"Robin."

Richard didn't know why, but it felt right for her to call him that. More than if she had called him Dick or Richard.

"Are you happy?"

"Yes."

Her gaze wondered down. He had never seen anyone with so little hope as right then. Hadn't she always had hope? Suddenly all his fear was gone. Or, not gone. They where never completely gone. But another feeling was suddenly stronger than his fear. Love and compassion for this woman. He grabbed her hand, and was suddenly overwhelmed with grief as he saw his parents fall to their death.

But then he remembered something else. He remembers working with a man that made him feel small but also larger than life. He remembered the look on young children's faces when they ran over to say he was their idol. He remembered meeting four people that changed his life. Eating pizza. Working next to them. Playing in the sun. Talking. He saw and felt Starfire next to him at night. And he remembered the gentle caresses of a woman he cared very much for.

"But I was also happy before."

--

Koriand'r didn't know why but she grabbed the same hand that the boy had grabbed. She too remembered other things. Remembered how wonderful this planet could be. Remembered dragging the woman all over the mall. Watching television. Just hanging out with her friends. Nice.

"As was I."

--

Victor saw what the other two had done, and something in him made him copy it, even with the fright of last time. The first images came, as expected, but he didn't let go. And after them, below, were others. Images of him being in the park with his friends. Crushing Beast Boy in video games. Learning that being what he was didn't make him less of a man. Building a car with his own two hands, instead of just designing them.

"And so was I."

--

Garfield just looked at her. He grabbed her hand, and images, like they had done for the other three, came to him. Fighting with Cyborg about tofu versus meat. Training and learning he could actually be good at something more than animals. Being part of a group and a team. Hearing Raven laugh, and looking at her and feeling he loved her.

"And me."

--

Raven looked at him and couldn't help grinning.

"No deal."

"But…"

"Our bond is so strong, even taking away their nightmares could break it. I win, you loose, and you can go back to my father and tell him that."

--

Raven smiled as the smoke settled. She might not be able to take away their pain, but she should be able to give them a good nights rest. She didn't know why she hadn't thought of it before. She grabbed the dream catchers and phased out of her room. The light blue she hung over Cyborgs charging table. She saw how his vitals settled at once, and a smile form on his lips.

"Sweet dreams dear friend."

Raven phased out and into Starfires room. She wasn't there, but this didn't scare Raven, since she knew she some times slept with Robin in his room. So she just hung the yellow dream catcher over her bed and phased out. She stopped outside Robin's room and listened, not wanting to interrupt anything private. Nothing. She phased in and saw the both of them sleeping in each other's arms. Raven felt a sting of jealousy, but just smiled. She wanted them to have so much happiness as they could. When the red dream cathcher was up, Raven couldn't help herself but carefully stroke his cheek.

"Thank you."

Before phasing out and into Beast Boy's messy room. She flew up and hung his green one over the top bunk when he stirred and opened his drowsy eyes.

"Raven?"

"Hi Beast Boy."

"I just had a weird dream."

Raven just smiled. When they woke up next morning, they wouldn't remember a thing.

"Raven, is it true that you love me?"

"Who told you that?"

"Starfire. In my dream."

Raven swore under her breath, but didn't let him see that.

"Yes."

"I love you too."

She looked down as something exploded. She looked at him again and smiled. He would soon fall asleep again, and he wouldn't remember a thing.

"Go to sleep Beast Boy."

Like magic did he close his eyes and soon fell into a deep slumber. Raven smiled as she phased back to her room, looked at her purple one, and did the same.

--

Raven had never seen her friends so happy when each of them woke up. Robin was almost singing. Starfire was singing, and Cyborg didn't care that Starfire was singing. Even Raven couldn't help smile as she watch how they where they where acting that morning. Robin agreed to skip his morning exercise to be with Starfire, and Cyborg actually told them he had called Bumblebee that morning and asked her out on a date. And no one made fun as Beast Boy still half a sleep walked in wearing just boxers.

"Oh isn't this a most glorious morning friend Beast Boy."

"It sure is Starfire."

Even Beats Boy was happier as he grabbed his morning coffee. He turned and was surprised to find Raven standing right behind him.

"Oh sorry Rae. Didn't see you there."

He had forgotten what he had told her last night, just as she knew he would. She cupped his face and kissed him. He was just standing there, surprised, taking in the kiss. Finally she let go of his face and smiled up to him.

"I love you too, too."


End file.
